


Let's Go Fly A Car and Send It Soaring

by shaolin103



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Episode: s01e02 0-8-4, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 08:16:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2500904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shaolin103/pseuds/shaolin103
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve ‘accidentally’ uncovers level 7.</p><p>Written for a Prompt on Avengerkink LJ Community a long time ago. Prompt inside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's Go Fly A Car and Send It Soaring

**Author's Note:**

> Written for this prompt over at Avengerkink LJ Community.
> 
> Steve finds out about Phil and his team and that's all well and good, but then he finds out about Lola.
> 
> And well, the twenty first century is nice and all, and some things are better than he imagined, even if they still don't have jet-packs. So when faced with a flying car, of course, he's going to "borrow" it. Phil won't mind right?
> 
> A/N: Set after the Avengers and Season 1 Episode 2 (0-8-4) of MAoS. Written a long time ago so, NO spoilers for AoS season 2 or CAtWs. Steve’s a bit of a goof here so forgive the story (and author) if he’s a bit OOC. Also, took liberties with Fitz’s mini drones. I kinda miss them. This was a prompt in Avengerkink LJ comm but I cannot find the link back to it. If you’re the prompter or can lead me to the link so that I can properly thank you for the prompt or have the story linked there, it will be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Disclaimer: Don’t own them. Can’t possibly own them. They belong to their respective owners.
> 
> Unbetaed so there are mistakes and they are solely mine.

* * *

 

 

Let’s Go Fly A Car and Send It Soaring

 

He’s all the way into California and rounding back east when he sees it.

It may have been a trick of the light. Or just effects of the California heat. Or that he has been on the road for over three months now, trying to ‘rediscover’ America and living like a nomad and his first thought is that he must be too tired to see straight let alone think straight.

But deep down he knows what he’s seeing right now, and what he’s seeing right now is undoubtedly - a flying car. Of course there are flying cars in the future. Howard Stark must have been able to successfully create one that doesn’t hover two inches off the ground for less than five seconds. His friend was brilliant that way.

So he revs his bike and follows the flying car. It’s soaring over California inconspicuously but Steve doesn’t have enhanced sense of sight for nothing. He thinks maybe only rich people have the flying car of the future, since the rest are still bound by gravity and their tires are sticking to asphalt and traffic jams. Maybe he can follow this one and ask its owner if they can spare Captain America a ride. Just this once, maybe he can use his superhero status because - He. Really. Wants. To. Ride. A. Flying. Car.

He knows it’s flying low enough to avoid radar detection and fast and stealthily enough to avoid being seen by the naked eye. Which makes him wonder that maybe flying cars aren’t ‘a thing of the future’ since this one is clearly avoiding being seen or followed. Nevertheless, he is dead set on getting near that beautiful thing. He loses sight of it for a while, knowing that at its speed it’s bound to reach its destination far longer than he can catch up. But by calculating trajectory and analyzing its course, he is still able to follow it outside Los Angeles.

What he finds though is an odd structure in the middle of nowhere.

It’s some sort of military base. And according to his road map, it’s not supposed to exist. He gawps at the sight of a familiar logo plastered across the outer fence as he cases the place at a distance and rolls his eyes. Of course, it’s a SHIELD secret base, the logo he sees from his position is far away but there’s no mistaking it. He spots some sort of airfield and tries to locate the shiny, red flying car but sees nothing else but huge hangars, one of them, housing an equally huge black plane and is by far the busiest of them all. He thinks maybe his flying car is in that hangar but he may need to do some sneaking in to make sure.

He mulls over it, asking himself if it’s wise to snoop around SHIELD again. The last time he did that, he discovered Phase 2. What is he going to discover this time?

For sure, more than a flying car.

In the end, curiosity wins over. Not willing to turn back, Steve resolves to infiltrate the base at the first sign of shift change. He cases the base some more before it got dark, taking note of security cams and weak spots, plotting his game plan and hopefully - not his demise.

He has enough time to make a trip back to town for essentials. Black overalls, paintball goggles and black spray paint and he fashions a uniform identical to those soldiers in the airbase. He comes back to the base and waits patiently for the cover of night.

He sneaks in fine. Clearing the fence isn’t easy and the trek to the hangar involves a lot of ducking and weaving and hiding under black SUVs but he gets to the big black plane. He sprints all the way to the back, thinking he’s less visible behind the plane and maybe he can enter it through the cargo hold. His disguise is enough to fool the ground crew but if he does meet face to face with the soldiers in black, his makeshift uniform won’t cut it. For one, he doesn’t have a rifle. He’s ditched the paintball gun. Smart enough to know that if he comes in armed, these people will shoot first before asking questions.

He finally reaches the back of the plane and spots the beauty he’s been eyeing for most of the day. He’s unaware of brown eyes watching his every move from deep inside the plane. He approaches the red car. It looks more amazing up close. He grazes a finger along a sleek door handle and realizes he’s made a wrong move of letting his guard down because the next thing he knows, his feet are swept from under him and he's lying on his back on the cargo hold floor.

“Don’t touch Lola.” Came a deep voice.

Steve is winded but not much so. Before his attacker can launch another attack, he flips back up and issues an attack of his own. The guy has a couple of inches on him but Steve is fast enough to land a punch to the gut that sends the guy reeling.

“Who in the hell is Lola?” Steve asks in indignation as the guy comes at him again. He’s got to admit; the man has moves and is particularly well trained in hand-to-hand combat. In fact, Steve can see him as a decent sparring partner if this has the chance to end well between the two of them. They have started to cause a commotion and Steve begins to think that sneaking in really was a bad idea. So he blocks a punch and downs the guy with a swift kick to the knee. He has him on a chokehold by the time the security team arrives and he’s backed into the wall using the guy as a human shield.

The makeshift paintball mask conceals his face and head but he’s cut off the lower part so as to look like the ones the SHIELD soldiers were wearing.

“You think they’re not going to shoot you because you’ve got me held hostage?” The man he has in a chokehold hisses at him as he tries to dislodge Steve’s arm that was slightly barring his airways. “You just infiltrated a SHIELD secured airbase, you son of a –“ Steve didn’t let him finish the threat as he tightened his hold abruptly.

“If it’s so secured how did I infiltrate it?” Steve mocks him instead. He’s surrounded; he has no idea how to get out of this without revealing himself. One of the black uniformed SHIELD security guy is ordering him to stand down. Steve tries to find an escape route.

“Let Agent Ward go, sir. No one needs to get hurt.” Steve freezes at the familiar voice. There’s a Taser pointed at him, but it isn’t what gives him pause. It’s the face of the man that’s holding said Taser.

The man in his arms, a so-called Agent Ward, must have felt the slight change in Steve’s demeanor and he takes his chance to try and get out of the chokehold but Steve holds fast, making Ward gasp in pain and the rest tense up in anticipation. Agent Coulson raises his taser higher.

“Sir, a taser? Really?” Agent Ward sputters out incredulously.

“I’m not about to shoot an asset, Agent Ward.” The man who looks a lot like Agent Phil Coulson says in a passive tone. He sounds a lot like him.

“You and your assets.” Agent Ward mutters almost to himself.

“He was able to infiltrate a SHIELD secured airbase. I’d say he could be an asset.” The man who looks a lot like Agent Phil Coulson says some more, and it’s that small breathy smile that follows that convinces Steve.

“Holy shit, it is you. I thought you were dead!” Steve yells, not sure whether to feel angry or elated.

There’s silence and the small smile on Coulson’s face drops.

“Identify yourself.” Agent Coulson says, all relaxed demeanor gone, Taser holstered and a real gun un-holstered and pointing straight at Steve.

“Agent Coulson.” Steve says, reaching out with one hand to remove the makeshift mask. “It’s me, Steve Rogers.”

There are gasps and curses and then a long silence. No one seems to know what to do.

“Cap.” Coulson breaks it first, face faltering in confusion.

Everyone stands down. People in Level 7 know who Steve Rogers is and Steve in turn slowly relinquishes his hold on Agent Ward.

“Sorry about that, pal.” Steve tells the equally stunned young Agent as he tries to dust off the man’s shirt. The Agent just stares at him, mouth agape, slowly nodding his head and acknowledging the apology.

“Cap. What are you doing here?” Phil asks. There’s a mix of confusion and suspicion in Phil’s voice.

“First of all, before you ship me back to Director Fury with a ‘he’s all yours’ sign stapled to my forehead, let me just say that I’m happy that you’re actually alive. I’m also at the same time pissed to find out that I’ve been fooled by this organization. Again.” Steve says, tone placating yet slightly agitated.

“This here, Captain. Is Level 7. What goes on here is -”

“Classified, I get it. And I’m not Level 7 or whatever.” Steve waves off the usual ‘this is above your paygrade’ schtick. “But they could at least have told us you were okay after the battle. There was no point in keeping it secret after we’ve won. It doesn’t matter if you ended up going to Level 7. You could end up in Jupiter, for all I care. But it’d be nice to know that you’re still alive.” The look on the good Captain’s face is haunted and stricken.

The Captain does not know him that long but the impact of his death to this man was tumultuous, the grief stricken face at the thought of the betrayal evident. If the Captain feels this way, what more for those he had actually worked with. Clint, Natasha, even Stark and Thor. Pepper.

Phil brushes the thought off, telling himself it is part of the job and tries to distance himself from the emotions cursing through him.

“I am sorry, Captain.” He apologizes anyway. Because as much as Director Fury would want him to be, Philip Coulson is not a robot.

Steve smiles then and surges forward to give him a kind embrace. “My name is, Steve.” He whispers softly. “I really am happy you’re alive, though.” He says some more and Phil can’t help but return the hug. This man was his hero. Still is. And now he has the privilege to call him a friend.

Everyone disperses after the brief hug. Seeing that the situation is neutralized, no one asks the question as to how Steve was able to infiltrate the base. They will leave that one to Agent Coulson.

“Steve. How did you get here?” Coulson sounds, suspicious. But mostly impressed.

“Ah. So I did dodge the SHIELD Agents Director Fury sent to tail me.” Steve says with a triumphant smirk.

“SHIELD’s got a whole team trying to locate you.” Phil explains as he leads Steve up on to the main cabin, Agent Ward following close behind. Steve waves back at a pretty girl as they pass a sort of enclosed laboratory on the way up. He gives her a big smile of his own, wondering who and her curly headed companion are. Judging from their lab coats, they’re a couple of young scientists. The big smile turns into a look of awe as he steps into the main cabin.

“What did you do? Repaint Air Force One?” Steve exclaims, clearly impressed.

“Air Force One doesn’t have our kind of artillery.” Coulson tells him with a smirk. “But Steve I need for you to tell me where’ve you been these past two and a half months.” Coulson continues, all too seriously.

Steve shrugs, knowing that SHIELD may be looking for him since he’s ditched the SHIELD Agents trying to inconspicuously follow him. Peggy Carter may have had a hand in helping him with it after he came by to visit his _old_ friend but he isn’t telling anyone that.

“Here and there.” He says, not really wanting to elaborate.

“Okay.” Coulson replies, eyes narrowed. Naturally, Steve is going to be evasive. Especially after what he’s witnessed today. “How did you find the base then?”

“Well, I was on my way back to New York when I saw something from a distance and then – “ Steve chooses his words halfway through.“ – realized it was some sort of base. It didn’t seem like this place was on my map so I checked it out.” He decides to say instead. Because this is SHIELD. ‘The Secret Hiding Idiots and Eggheaded Lying Douchebags. If we don’t have secrets from them, they’ll have no jobs.’ Darcy’s words, not his. He may have promised Thor he’d visit his Lady Jane while he goes and sort out things with Loki on Asgard, too. Hence, his meeting with a very unique individual by the name of Darcy Lewis.

“So you just decided to look around then?” Coulson asks.

“It’s not everyday you find a base that does not exist. Then you see a heavily guarded big black plane that has the makings of a Hellicarrier prototype. Then it has a lab and a combat ready black SUV in it that it might as well be a tank, then there’s a sweet red car – “

“He touched Lola.” Agent Ward suddenly chimes in then has the gall to be embarrassed at the outburst because he is looking a lot like the tattletale that he is.

“Who is Lola?” Steve asks instead as he stares at Agent Ward, confused at the sudden outburst.

“The sweet red car you’re talking about. Agent Coulson’s baby. Her name is Lola.” Agent Ward answers him, failing to look as indignant as he sounds.

“That’s your car?” Steve turns to the Agent. “And you named her? Lola?” There’s a huge grin spreading across the Super Soldier’s face. Phil can’t believe it’s a teasing one.

“Wh-What?” He sputters, defensively. “Like you don’t have a name for your bike.” It’s a lame come back. Phil doesn’t know if Steve names his transports.

“Name my bike?” Steve asks, teasing grin still in place. “Okay. What per se should I name my bike?” He asks some more.

 “I don’t know. You could name him Barry Manilow, for all I care.” Phil says, slightly embarrassed at this conversation.

“Who?” Both the Captain and his Agent asks in unison, confusion on their faces.

Phil sighs. Generation Gap. And he’s smacked in the middle of it.

* * *

 

Phil calls Fury to report the incident. Fury sounds agitated as usual at finding out that Captain America has yet again sneaked in into a SHIELD restricted area. Coulson requests to have Steve initiated into Level 7 and Fury yells at him some more for it, telling him his hero worship will someday have him eating out of the Captain’s hand. He yells a little more longer and orders Coulson to send Rogers back to New York since Coulson can’t debrief him properly and can’t even get answers as to how Rogers was able to evade his SHIELD security detail back in New England and then ending up infiltrating a Level 7 SHIELD airbase all the way on the other side of the country.  

Steve understands the decision to send him back. He thanks Coulson anyway and says goodbye to FitzSimmons and Agent Ward. Phil has been observing the four of them the past two hours and Steve seems to have been integrating fine around his people.

The initial tension between him and Agent Ward has been forgotten as the four of them sat around the lab. One of Fitz’s mini drones, Steve choosing the one dubbed, Grumpy (because he’s seen the movie and he’s apparently, his favorite) is hovering above them with Steve operating it to flit around the room using the remote in his hand. Phil catches him stealing longing glances at Lola a few times.

There’s a little grumbling within his team after Steve leaves. They have a pending 0-8-4 case and Fitz says it would have been great if Steve had been able to come, bragging about how he’s taught a man from the 40s the complexities of modern technology by teaching him how to operate his drones. Coulson doesn’t have the heart to tell him that the only reason why Steve Rogers is easy to educate is because he’s a fast learner with an eidetic memory.

Simmons on the other hand has the biggest pout of them all. Sure, Grant voices out that it’d have been great if Steve had been allowed to stay, there are rebels where they are going and they could use a bit of muscle. Simmons though, just likes having Steve around. She’s smitten.

Skye arrives with her van and Simmons is there to break the news. It’s then that the overly excited shrieking starts and the two of them chatter about their recent visitor.

At least Simmons is no longer pouting.

They go to Peru and all hell breaks loose. He has an inexperienced team, and there’s an Asgardian relic. An old friend surfaces, followed by rebels and flying bullets. Then there’s a sort of mutiny, which turns out to be a hijacking. He’s old friend turns out to be a new enemy and then he’s getting punched around. His plane actually blows up and he almost gets thrown out the airlock.

In the end, his plane is totaled but his team pulls through. He considers it a success.

His team is perched on the edge of the damaged plane - beers still half full, when a Quinjet arrives and lands on the huge desert space in front of them. The Slingshot has already done its part and the repair crew has already started. Phil isn’t expecting anyone else. He looks on in confusion as the aft doors open and Steve Rogers steps out.

“I leave you for five minutes and this happens.” He says in greeting as he surveys the damage to The Bus.

The team scurries to greet him. Simmons introduces him to Skye who stammers and fangirls all at the same time. Grant introduces him to Agent May, and Steve gives her a respectful nod and says “ma’am” with a slight smile. May acknowledges him with a nod of her own, serious and firm, but the slight quirk of the lips tell Coulson that she too, in her own way, is as smitten as the rest of them.

“Tell me you didn’t sneak in and commandeer a Quinjet when you got to the Hellicarrier just to come back here and mock us.” Coulson says as he approaches the cluster.

Steve looks slightly affronted at the accusation. “I would never, Agent Coulson. I was worried.” He says, feigning disbelief. “Besides, Clint says if I needed a ride somewhere he’d take me.” He explains nonchalantly.

“Steve.” Phil says, trying to contain the panic building up. Hawkeye isn’t Level 7. “Tell me Agent Barton isn’t on that Quinjet.” He says, tone almost threatening.

“No.” Steve says, there’s a bit of a nervous shake in his voice. “Worse.”

And as if summoned by the word, Director Nick Fury steps out of the Quinjet, the one visible eye bulging in apparent rage and glaring straight at Coulson. He descends the stairs - strides menacing that even Agent May took a slight step back as he passed by them.

“Agent, a word.” Director Fury says darkly as he brushes past him to head towards The Bus.

“I tried to tell him that you did well. That you were able to conclude your mission without casualties on our side. He saw the state of The Bus as we landed and those veins around his eye-patch appeared.” Steve explains looking apologetic. “At least Lola’s okay, though.” He adds with a small encouraging smile.

Phil smiles back. He appreciates that Steve had tried to run interference. Fury hasn’t yelled at him since he returned from Tahiti. He guesses, now’s as good a time as any to get used to that again. He takes a deep breath and follows the Director inside.

* * *

 

Steve winces as the boom of Fury’s voice reaches all the way to where he is sitting under the spiral staircase. Enhanced hearing or not, he hears the man loud and clear. So do the rest of the people in The Bus. Repair crew included. Coulson is getting chewed out.

Grumpy whizzes past him and he lays out his palm so the little guy could land softly on it. He smiles softly at the device and taps it lightly on its head. It chirps back at him rapidly. Little guy doesn’t like being touched, unlike his other counterparts who are okay with a little pat here and there - he’s a little less touchy-feely. It’s why he is called Grumpy.

He looks up to find Lola, staring back at him. The car still is a thing of beauty. And he still would very much like to fly her. He takes a moment’s decision and gets up from his spot under the spiral staircase. FitzSimmons are busy at the lab doing their own repairs of the more delicate items. Agents May and Ward are on the upper deck, trying to orient Skye with the gym located there. The repair crew is done with the lab repairs and has congregated to the main cabin where the damage mostly is.

So it’s just him and Lola. And Grumpy, of course.

He breaks into a run and jumps into the driver seat. He’s in the process of looking for the car keys when Simmons sees him and runs out of the lab, Fitz in tow, both wearing looks of astonishment at his display of sudden rebelliousness.

“What are you doing?” Jemma asks in a harsh whisper, eyes wide in disbelief.

“Coulson’s going to murder you.” Fitz adds, though he seems less anxious than Simmons is.

“Mom and Dad are still fighting.” Steve explains then rolls his eyes when he’s met with two sets of eyes widening in incredulity. “Fury’s going to be yelling for the next ten minutes. Then after he chews out Agent Coulson, they’re going to talk about classified things. There’ll be less yelling but more eye bulging.” He starts to explain. “And I’m pretty sure he’s going to stay another few minutes to make sure there aren’t any modifications to The Bus. So that’ll give me around half an hour to take a joyride.” He explains.

“What makes you think Coulson’s not going to find out you took Lola.” Simmons asks, looking at the Captain as if he’s grown horns. This isn’t the Captain America she knows.

“He’s not going to find out unless you tell him.” Steve says with a knowing smile.

“And what makes you think we won’t tell him. If he finds out we let you drive off with Lola, we’re as good as dead. Please Captain Rogers get out of the car.” Simmons tells him, a foot stomping in frustration.

Steve sighs. He doesn’t want to get FitzSimmons in trouble whatsoever but he really wants to fly the car. “Tell you what.” He gets an idea. “I heard Fury eighty-sixed the fish tank.” He says.

“Yeah.” It’s Fitz that answers. Simmons starts looking more apprehensive.

“I can talk to him. I’ll get yelled at myself but one way or another, I will get you that fish tank. Even if I have to install the tank and deep sea dive for the fish myself.” He tells them, and with the way he says it, it sounds a lot like a promise.

FitzSimmons share a look and then slowly nod. “Fine.” Simmons says. “Only because I know you can actually do that. Get us the fish tank and all.”

“Thank you. I will.” Steve says with a firm nod.

Steve continues to look for the ignition. Grumpy takes off and flits over the controls on the dash until he finds a small compartment and chirps at Steve rapidly. Steve whoops in triumph as he fishes the keys out of the compartment. He puts the key into the ignition and Lola comes alive at its turn. It’s the smooth rev of the engine and the quiet purr of the beauty beneath him that makes his adrenaline pump.

“Good work, Grumpy.” He praises the little drone and moves to put the car in gear.

“Wait.” Fitz exclaims, fidgeting next to the car. Then he jumps into the backseat. “C’mon, Simmons.” He tells his sputtering colleague, eyes wide in shock at what her friend is trying to get her into.

“Are you crazy?” she asks disbelievingly.

“I don’t want to be here when Coulson comes down and sees that Lola has been carnapped.” He explains.

“Borrowing. Not Carnapping. Borrowing.” Steve protests.

“Whatever.” Fitz says, waving the Captain off. “He’ll be more angry if he finds out we didn’t do anything to stop him. This way, if we go with him, we can still make sure nothing bad happens to Lola.” He continues. “And still get a fish tank.” He adds as an afterthought.  

Simmons reluctantly gets in the backseat with Fitz and Steve slowly backs out of the cargo hold with an approving smile.

“Oh gosh. Captain America’s being despondent.” Simmons says, anxiety getting the best of her. “We’re letting a despondent Captain America steal Lola. Fitz, we are so dead.” Panic evident.

“Hey.” Steve exclaims in protest. “I told you. I’m not stealing her. I’m just borrowing her. I’m going to take her back. I just want to give her a test drive.” He explains.

“A test drive.” Fitz says. There’s a hint of sarcasm in his tone. “On a desert.” He says some more, sarcasm mixing in with the disbelief. “With the dust that’s going to accumulate when you drive this along the desert road, Coulson’s going to find out. Whether or not we get Lola back before he finds out she’s gone, he’s going to know we took her out into the desert.” He explains.

“Well, let’s not drive it then.” Steve says with a sly smirk. He stops just outside the cargo hold and looks to the passenger seat where Grumpy has settled himself. “Do your thing, Grumpy.” He tells the little guy with a huge grin.

Grumpy whirs at the request and flies back up to hover over the dash controls again. He lands on another concealed compartment and Steve lifts it up to find a red safety cover. He lifts that up too to reveal a toggle underneath it.

“Steve? What are you doing?” Fitz asks, he’s the one sounding anxious this time.

“Buckle up.” Steve says as he rests a finger on the toggle. “Here we go.” He breathes out, looking back at his passengers one more time and flipping the switch.

Lola shifts and steadily rises into the air. All three passengers lean to the side to watch the wheels tilt and turn as the car hovers.

Steve turns the car to face the vast desert. Nothing but open road (or air). He steps on the accelerator and they’re off at top speed. There are screams of excitement and thrill from behind. He looks into the rearview mirror to see the passengers in the backseat screaming and laughing into the wind, hair flying back and arms raised in the air.

Steve whoops along with them. It’s pretty much as enjoyable as he imagined. Lola handles very well, turns the way Steve wants with a soft steer of the wheel as if she knows what Steve wants to do before he could even turn it. “Good girl.” He says as he pats the dash. They glide over the desert and Steve navigates for a nearby mountain range.

“You knew Lola could fly?!” It’s Fitz, sounding excited.

“Um. Yes.” Steve replies.

“How did you know?” Simmons asks, slightly impress.

“Um. Saw it.” Steve starts to explain as he makes the car go higher, enjoying the view of the terrain before them. They have around fifteen more minutes before they have to turn back. He’ll fly back in ten, just to be sure. “That’s how I found the airbase in California.” He goes on.

“You told Coulson you found the base because you were curious why it wasn’t on the map.” Simmons says, brows knitting in suspicion.

“I _was_ curious.” He explains. “Just more so about Lola than the base.” Steve says, slightly guilty. “I didn’t want him to know that I was obsessing over a flying car that I followed it all the way to a secret airbase.”

“Well, now I do.” The voice isn’t from any of the passengers in the car. “Steven Grant Rogers, turn this car around or I swear I will tase you all the way back to 1945.” It’s Coulson’s voice coming out of the stereo and he sounds pissed.

Steve stares back guiltily at his passengers, afraid to say something because Coulson can definitely hear them on the other end. “Yes, sir. On our way back.” He says instead and stirs Lola back to The Bus.

Steve enlists Grumpy’s help again. This time, on how to land Lola. She touches back down softly and Steve drives them to the cargo hold.

Phil is there. So is Nick Fury. Steve is used to the bulging eye and popping veins. That’s Fury’s default look when it comes to him. Coulson though, is seething. Mouth in a thin line, eyes like daggers, fists clenched and face more stoic than ever.

It’s scarier.

They all carefully get out of the vehicle. Using the car doors to step out rather than treat them as pole vaults this time and closing them as delicately as possible.

“Explain.”

Steve braces himself and steps forward. He opens his mouth to pour in the apologies but Phil stops him with a hand gesture.

“Them.” Phil says, pointing at the scientist.

“It was all me.” Steve tries to defend his friends.

“Explain.” Coulson bellows to the scientists, ignoring Steve.

Rapid explanations about how they didn’t know Steve was going to take Lola until they saw him on the driver’s seat come pouring out of their mouths. That the reason they came along was only to make sure Steve treated Lola right and not to join him in the joyride. The words come out jumbled and shaky with nervousness.

“- then I don’t know what’s happening.” Simmons’ voice booms over Fitz’s. “BUT CAPTAIN AMERICA WAS JUST BEING DESPONDENT!” The last few words echoes throughout the cargo hold, Simmons finally blowing up from all the anxiety.

 “Only because Mom and Dad were fighting.” Fitz says and Steve groans inwardly. He meant that as a joke.

One of Fury’s brows raise at the incredulity. He gives Steve a pointed look and huffs. “You want Rogers initiated into Level 7?” He turns to Phil. “Then he’s all yours.” He tells Coulson as he moves to leave, heading for the Quinjet.

“Sir?” Steve asks, looking back at Coulson, torn between going after the Director and staying behind to apologize properly to the Agent. For some reason, going with Fury sounds more appealing than the latter.

Fury turns to look back at Steve. “On a Consultant basis.” He clarifies and continues to walk away. “Don’t rile Mom up too much.” He mutters in a singsong voice, low enough for Steve’s enhanced hearing to catch.

End.

 

Thanks for reading.


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